Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns and SymptomsTypes of StrokeCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentRecoveryPreventionOutlookNext in Stroke GuideSigns and Symptoms of Stroke
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs and Symptoms
Types of Stroke
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Recovery
Prevention
Outlook
Next in Stroke Guide
A strokeis a serious medical emergency that occurs when there is a deficiency of blood flow to an area of the brain or bleeding in the brain. This causes brain damage, witheffectsthat may include weakness of one side of the body, vision changes, speech problems, loss of consciousness, and more.
A stroke can cause disability or death. Prompt intervention can help improve the outcome after a stroke, so it’s important to recognize a stroke right away and get immediate medical attention.
VILevi / Getty Images
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke?
Early signs and symptoms of a stroke can include numbness, weakness, vision changes, and dizziness.Sometimes a person who is having a stroke might not be able to communicate, and other people who are around must call for emergency services.
There are many different signs and symptoms of a stroke. This is because a stroke can affect any area of the brain and will cause symptoms that correspond to the location of the damage.
There are a few key features that you can keep in mind so you will know to call for help if you or someone else is experiencing the common signs of a stroke.
Act “FAST” to Recognize Stroke Symptoms
A shortcut for recognizing stroke symptoms is “FAST “—face, arm, speech, time—as follows:
1:30Think FAST With a Stroke
1:30
Think FAST With a Stroke
Unique Signs of a Stroke in Women
Women are more likely to have a stroke during their lifetime than men. One reason may be due to women’s longer life expectancy.Pregnancy, birth control pills, and postmenopausal hormone therapy are also factors that raise the risk.
The symptoms of stroke are usually the same for people of any sex, but women may be more likely to have subtle stroke signs.
Subtle signs of a stroke include:
The Warning Signs of Stroke in Women
There are a few different types of strokes. They all have certain features in common, due to an interruption of blood supply to a specific region in the brain. However, the causes vary, and the symptom duration can range from very brief to permanent.
Ischemic Stroke
Anischemicstroke involves an obstruction or interruption of the blood supply in an artery or a small arterial branch that supplies blood to an area of the brain.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Ahemorrhagicstroke occurs due to bleeding of an artery in the brain. When the artery bleeds, it will cause swelling, pressure, and ischemic damage. The region of the brain that normally gets its blood supply from the leaking blood vessel will not receive adequate blood supply and will experience ischemic damage.
OutcomesGenerally, outcomes for hemorrhagic strokes are worse than ischemic strokes, but outcomes depend on the location and size of the stroke.
Outcomes
Generally, outcomes for hemorrhagic strokes are worse than ischemic strokes, but outcomes depend on the location and size of the stroke.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA)is a reversible stroke that occurs when there’s a brief blood flow interruption to a region of the brain. The temporary ischemia causes symptoms that go away completely within 24 hours (usually within a few seconds or minutes). There isn’t permanent ischemic damage because blood flow is spontaneously restored.
The risk factors for a TIA are the same as those for a stroke, and a TIA is often a warning sign that someone is at risk of having a stroke.Sometimes a TIA is called a ministroke, but a better term is an “almost” stroke.
Causes and Risk Factors of Stroke
Stroke risk factors can often be modified or medically managed to help reduce the likelihood of a stroke.
Lifestyle Factors
Several lifestyle habits can increase the risk of a stroke. Smoking is especially damaging to blood vessels, and can substantially increase the risk of a stroke.
Other lifestyle risk factors include:
Medical History
Certain medical conditions increase the risk of a stroke, and they are more common with advancing age.
Atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing and hardening of the arteries throughout the body, is a major stroke risk factor.Atherosclerosis in the heart,carotid arteries, and blood vessels in the brain are especially likely to lead to an interruption of blood flow within the brain.
Risk factors that can lead to atherosclerosis include:
Other Factors
Other factors that can increase the risk of a stroke include:
Top 10 Signs You Are at Risk of Stroke
How Are Strokes Diagnosed?
Strokes are diagnosed based on symptoms, along with the physical examination. Generally, the signs and symptoms of a stroke correspond to the affected area of the brain. It is usually necessary to obtain diagnostic testing.
Diagnostic tests for stroke include:
Detecting Previous StrokesSometimes brain imaging tests also detect previous asymptomatic (without symptoms) strokes. Having multiple strokes can lead to changes in independence and personality—even if the individual strokes were asymptomatic.
Detecting Previous Strokes
Sometimes brain imaging tests also detect previous asymptomatic (without symptoms) strokes. Having multiple strokes can lead to changes in independence and personality—even if the individual strokes were asymptomatic.
Treatment for a Stroke
Sometimes direct stroke intervention is necessary, which can include:
Over the first few days following a stroke, close monitoring of neurological functioning, fluid and electrolyte concentration, blood pressure, and blood glucose is necessary.Sometimes brain damage from a stroke may cause a seizure, necessitating treatment withantiepileptic medication.
After stabilization, recovery can begin. Assessment of risk factors is necessary as well.
Stroke Treatment: Before, During, and After
Recovering From a Stroke
Recovery after a stroke is often gradual. Some people fully recover, but most people have some degree of impairment after a stroke. Immediate medical care and consistent therapy can improve long-term outcomes. It’s important to be patient throughout recovery because improvement doesn’t always follow a smooth and steady path.
Complications
Weakness and sensory changes can increase the risk ofbedsoresand blood clots. Weakness and vision changes may lead to falling after a stroke.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation should be tailored to specific deficits that occur after a stroke:
Benefits and Preparations for In-Home Physical Therapy
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Sometimes stroke symptoms worsen within the first few days before stabilizing. Then, symptoms may gradually improve if medical care is started within the first few hours of a stroke.
Recovery is often slow over the next few weeks.For some people, recovery continues for up to a year after a stroke.
A person who is otherwise healthy and had a small stroke may have a faster recovery, with greater improvement than a person who had a large stroke, underlying health problems, or a history of strokes.
The 7 Stages of Stroke Recovery
Tips for Caregivers
Taking care of someone after a stroke can be challenging. Stroke-related disability may mean that a person needs a lot of assistance with day-to-day tasks.
Furthermore, depending on the type of stroke, some people are unaware of their limitations, making it even more difficult to take care of your loved one. Getting guidance and instructions is crucial to know how to care for your loved one safely.
Taking care of a loved one recovering from a stroke can take time and energy and can be emotionally demanding. This makes it important to seek practical help from professionals trained in caregiving for people who have had a stroke.
Asking for help from friends and family can ease the burden. Support groups can also provide practical tips and emotional support.
How to Prevent a Stroke
Stroke prevention is a crucial part of health maintenance for everyone. Getting recommended screening tests can identify risk factors.
Treatment for risk factors is effective in lowering the chances of a first stroke or a recurrent stroke. Even if you have already had a stroke, it is never too late to start stroke prevention. A recurrent stroke can compound the level of stroke disability.
Prevention is focused on treating and controlling risk factors:
Most stroke risk factors do not include any noticeable symptoms and can cause a stroke without any warning. Getting regular check-ups is the best way to identify stroke risk factors.
Arterial Disease Types: Risk Factors, Causes, and Symptoms
Outlook for Stroke
There are many types of strokes, and a wide range in stroke severity. So the outlook is highly variable. After a stroke, you might need to make adjustments to your day to day life, such as using a walker, giving up driving, or avoiding foods that are choking hazards.
Identifying and managing risk factors can substantially lower the likelihood of having another stroke.
About 25% of strokes in the United States are recurrent strokes.
The risk of stroke recurrence after surviving a stroke is approximately 12% within five years, but the risk is higher after large strokes and hemorrhagic strokes than it is after small ischemic strokes.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and symptoms of stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and stroke.Christensen H, Bentsen L, Christensen L.Update on specificities of stroke in women.Presse Med. 2016;45(12 Pt 2):e409-e418. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2016.10.005Amarenco P, Lavallée PC, Labreuche J, et al.One-year risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(16):1533-1542. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1412981Oza R, Rundell K, Garcellano M.Recurrent ischemic stroke: Strategies for prevention.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(7):436-440.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for stroke.Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C.What is the effect of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent bouts of physical activity or standing on first or recurrent stroke risk factors? A scoping review.PLoS One.2019;14(6):e0217981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217981American Stroke Association.Atherosclerosis and stroke.Flach C, Muruet W, Wolfe CDA, Bhalla A, Douiri A.Risk and secondary prevention of stroke recurrence: A population-base cohort study.Stroke. 2020;51(8):2435-2444. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.028992Richards LG, Cramer SC.Advances in stroke: Therapies targeting stroke recovery.Stroke. 2021;52(1):348-350. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033231
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and symptoms of stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and stroke.Christensen H, Bentsen L, Christensen L.Update on specificities of stroke in women.Presse Med. 2016;45(12 Pt 2):e409-e418. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2016.10.005Amarenco P, Lavallée PC, Labreuche J, et al.One-year risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(16):1533-1542. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1412981Oza R, Rundell K, Garcellano M.Recurrent ischemic stroke: Strategies for prevention.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(7):436-440.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for stroke.Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C.What is the effect of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent bouts of physical activity or standing on first or recurrent stroke risk factors? A scoping review.PLoS One.2019;14(6):e0217981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217981American Stroke Association.Atherosclerosis and stroke.Flach C, Muruet W, Wolfe CDA, Bhalla A, Douiri A.Risk and secondary prevention of stroke recurrence: A population-base cohort study.Stroke. 2020;51(8):2435-2444. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.028992Richards LG, Cramer SC.Advances in stroke: Therapies targeting stroke recovery.Stroke. 2021;52(1):348-350. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033231
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and symptoms of stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and stroke.Christensen H, Bentsen L, Christensen L.Update on specificities of stroke in women.Presse Med. 2016;45(12 Pt 2):e409-e418. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2016.10.005Amarenco P, Lavallée PC, Labreuche J, et al.One-year risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(16):1533-1542. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1412981Oza R, Rundell K, Garcellano M.Recurrent ischemic stroke: Strategies for prevention.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(7):436-440.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for stroke.Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C.What is the effect of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent bouts of physical activity or standing on first or recurrent stroke risk factors? A scoping review.PLoS One.2019;14(6):e0217981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217981American Stroke Association.Atherosclerosis and stroke.Flach C, Muruet W, Wolfe CDA, Bhalla A, Douiri A.Risk and secondary prevention of stroke recurrence: A population-base cohort study.Stroke. 2020;51(8):2435-2444. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.028992Richards LG, Cramer SC.Advances in stroke: Therapies targeting stroke recovery.Stroke. 2021;52(1):348-350. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033231
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and symptoms of stroke.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and stroke.
Christensen H, Bentsen L, Christensen L.Update on specificities of stroke in women.Presse Med. 2016;45(12 Pt 2):e409-e418. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2016.10.005
Amarenco P, Lavallée PC, Labreuche J, et al.One-year risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(16):1533-1542. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1412981
Oza R, Rundell K, Garcellano M.Recurrent ischemic stroke: Strategies for prevention.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(7):436-440.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for stroke.
Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C.What is the effect of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent bouts of physical activity or standing on first or recurrent stroke risk factors? A scoping review.PLoS One.2019;14(6):e0217981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217981
American Stroke Association.Atherosclerosis and stroke.
Flach C, Muruet W, Wolfe CDA, Bhalla A, Douiri A.Risk and secondary prevention of stroke recurrence: A population-base cohort study.Stroke. 2020;51(8):2435-2444. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.028992
Richards LG, Cramer SC.Advances in stroke: Therapies targeting stroke recovery.Stroke. 2021;52(1):348-350. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033231
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
